Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of matting products, and more particularly to a two scrim laminate matting.
2. Description of Related Art
Commercial kitchen work areas, chemical display aisles in retail stores, industrial work stations in manufacturing assembly lines, walk ways around swimming pools, metal roofs on buildings as well as many other related type areasxe2x80x94all have a common concern of safely allowing peoplexe2x80x94both customer and employee to pass through, work and/or purchase products and services in these areas without the threat of slipping, tripping and falling due to slippery floor and work surface conditions. In the example of workstations, back, leg and joint fatigue on the person performing a task in these particular areas further compounds an already bad situation.
The most typical solution to this problem is to provide a floor matting product. Many different variations exist in a typical floor mat design. These include but are not limited to three such designs as solid surface cushioned type mats, surfaces slotted like a grate as well as surfaces with large diameter holes.
The solid surface design is typically constructed of a solid sheet of polyvinyl chloride or rubber, used as a surface material, then bonded chemically or through the use of an adhesive to a solid layer of foamed PVC plastisol or foamed rubber. This design is primarily anti-fatigue in nature with no drain-through capabilities.
Designs with slots and/or holes in the surface are typically single component type materials of rubber or polyvinyl chloride, injection molded into a finished product with thicknesses that range between xc2xcxe2x80x3 to xc2xexe2x80x3. These mats are designed to provide cushion at the work station as well as form a way of making the liquids, grease or foreign matter from that area, drain away from the foot traffic, thus allowing a more non-slip, dry and safe floor surface in which to walk and/or work on. While this format is successful in its drain-through design, it has little to no anti-fatigue qualities, and the surface is still slippery under most wet conditions. The average weight of all three of these product designs, range from 1-xc2xdlbs to 2 lbs per square foot.
All three of these matting designs are prone to be extremely heavy because of the materials they are constructed of and the processes used to manufacture them. This weight issue makes it hard to move the mat when one is trying to clean the mat and/or the underlying floor surface. The capability of certain people to be able to move the product, or be injured by moving the product due to its weight thus becomes a problem. There are two basic ways to solve this weight issue. One solution is to design or manufacture lighter weight versions of these same types of mats. The other is to manufacture these mat designs in small 12 inchxe2x80x9418 inch squares. In terms of the lighter weight solution, this solves the weight issue but creates yet another problem; these lighter weight mats tend to move and slide across the floor surface, thus becoming a liability/safety concern. To address this problem, these mats are typically mechanically fastened to additional pieces of matting and/or fastened to metal framework, which is then fastened to the floor surface. While this solves the movement issue it creates another problem; this option severely limits the ability of a person to properly clean the mat and/or the surface below and around the mat because of the process of fastening the pieces to other pieces or metal framework.
The second option of creating small 12 inchxe2x80x9418 inch squares solves the weight issue because the squares can be more easily picked up (less weight compared to a full size mat). The theory is that since the pieces can easily be picked up, they can then be cleaned as well as the floor surface beneath. The problem is that no one then wants to take the time to reassemble all the pieces once they are cleaned.
The other major problem besides the weight (as described above) of all of these basic matting designs is the small size of the finished mat in these same designs. In an ideal situation, one large mat would cover an intended area versus multiple mats or multiple squares. But, because of the manufacturing processes that are used to construct the basic matting designs described above, the products are limited to certain size restrictions. As a practical matter, the molds used in injection molding can only be a certain size, which in turn limits the mats to a certain size. There is also a direct correlation between the heavy product and the size. The process of heavy injection molded products means even if you wanted to make them bigger, no one will be physically able to move them. Because of this size restriction, multiple mats are generally required to cover a specific area where a large mat would be more desirable. Multiple mats generally mean that edges of mats are over-lapped and improper sizes create an open area of the floor surface, because the mat was a common size mat made to fit an uncommon shaped area. While reducing liability was the initial primary concern in placing these mats, a potential increase in liability might be the result of poorly fitted and configured mats.
Those concerned with these and other problems recognize the longstanding need for an improved matting product, and the provision of such a product is a stated objective of the present invention.
Briefly stated, the present invention provides a drain-through type of designed portable work and walking surface matting, which has the size, weight and slip resistant characteristics, as well as the anti-fatigue properties which make it a more desirable surface on which to walk and work. The invention consists of the lamination of two dimensionally unstable or stable coated scrims to produce a dimensionally stable laminate. Each coated scrim has a plurality of openings extending through the scrim. The lower surface of the first coated scrim is permanently bonded to the upper surface of the second coated scrim.